Dr Seuss' Horton Hears A Who! (U)

THE colourful characters and gentle wit of Dr Seuss (The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas) provide the creative spark for this animated comedy, which promotes the message of equality for all creatures.

THE colourful characters and gentle wit of Dr Seuss (The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas) provide the creative spark for this animated comedy, which promotes the message of equality for all creatures.

The tuskless hero echoes Apocalypse Now when he declares "I love the smell of bananas in the morning", and a character impersonates Arnold Schwarzenegger. Who knew that the cartoon inhabitants of the jungle were so well versed in 20th-century celebrity and affairs?

Jim Carrey is surprisingly - and blissfully - restrained with his vocal performance as the eponymous pachyderm, who risks hide and trunk to save a universe he can barely see.

Funny accents and ad-libs are kept to a minimum, giving supporting performances a chance to emerge from the undergrowth and steal the film.

Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! bursts with colourful visuals and fluffy critters, yet, for all its aesthetic charms, the film lacks well-sketched characters, genuine emotion and constant laughs.